PLUS

Exodus 9:1 “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.”

Exodus 13:21-22 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

Today is our nation’s semiquincentennial – our 250^th birthday! God has blessed us with an amazing national lineage and has provided for us with bountiful peace, provision, protection, and prosperity. How can we use the previous 250 years as a springboard for the next? By following the only thing that is sure to march us away from bondage and towards the promised land. It’s the same recipe for personal and national success that was evident to our founders.

On July 4^th, 1776, in addition to unanimously adopting the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress formed a committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams to design the seal of our newly declared independent nation. Their designs were ultimately tabled, with a completely new design finally being adopted in 1782.

Nevertheless, their drafts are powerfully revealing as to the Biblically-grounded worldview that dominated the founder’s perspective about the journey away from bondage and towards liberty.

Franklin’s draft displayed images of Moses and God’s people in safety on the far side of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh and his men being overwhelmed by the waters. A pillar of fire is central to this design, designating the source of power and strength for God’s people.

Jefferson created a draft with a similar theme, displaying the children of Israel in the Wilderness. In his depiction, they were led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Our founders saw their departure from British rule as an analogue to the Israelites flight from Egypt. Their deliverance and ultimate success would be guided by God’s direction, day and night. It was their ultimate source of wisdom and power, and the only surefire way to escape from bondage in a journey towards the promised land of liberty.

Our ultimate success today depends upon the same!

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO DILIGENTLY FOLLOW GOD DURING OUR NEXT 250 YEARS. The founders understood and acknowledged that the only way to escape from bondage and track towards the promised land of liberty was to follow God and trust in Him. On this semiquincentennial celebration, let us rededicate ourselves to the same understanding of those who created this nation 250 years ago.

Psalm 56:11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Psalm 115:9-11 “O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.”

Matthew 22:34-40 “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets.”

Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev shared a previously unknown story about President Ronald Reagan in 2009. During their first meeting together in 1985 and in the presence of only one another and their interpreters, Reagan opened with a seemingly strange question: “What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?” Gorbachev responded immediately: “No doubt about it.” Reagan replied: “We would too.”

These leaders then moved on to more directly relevant business, buoyed by an understanding that they were not absolute enemies and uplifted by a tone of trust. If they could work together in the case of an alien attack, then just maybe there was more common ground to explore. This simple conversation started what became the springboard for a mutually beneficial relationship that changed the world.

Trust is the catalyst for progress. the lynchpin of productivity, and the adhesive of community. It is a force multiplier, a well-being magnifier, and a profit booster. Yet, our cynical society prompts us to doubt God and demonize one another. Distrust has become a barrier to progress, an undercutter of productivity, and a repellant of community. It has become a costly multifaceted drag on society.

God provides the antidote!

It starts by trusting in Him, while avoiding an attitude of fear and cynicism. We are to love the Lord and love one another, providing mutual support by bearing one another’s burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ. And we must always remember, that none of us are absolute enemies and our relationships can be uplifted by a tone of trust.

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE TRUST OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD BE A MODEL OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S WORD. It seems fanciful and extreme, but no more than world leaders considering an alien attack. And maybe, just maybe, it can be the springboard to change the world!

ADMIN: The Reagan/Gorbachev story came from Ian Bremmer’s “The Power of Crisis”

Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”

James 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth fort death.”

A few weeks ago at a Christian businessman’s luncheon in Houston, I was honored to be the keynote speaker. After my comments, I opened it up to questions and one of them stuck out among the rest:

You are a national security expert who is interviewed regularly about the challenges in the Middle East. One of the things that has been extra difficult to deal with is the hundreds of drones fired at U.S. forces and our allies and partners. What spiritual situations does that situation parallel?

Wow, pretty heady stuff!

That morning I had seen a mainstream news article entitled: “Scaling Sin” that lamented the fact that once-forbidden vices are now “ubiquitous, digital, and spreading at a pace that has outstripped the country’s social and regulatory guardrails.” American society is getting bombarded by drones of sin.

My response fell back to the basics – intentionally putting on the whole armor of God by starting each day with prayer, Bible reading, and a commitment to serve God. Without the right defenses, an adversary’s threats are going to get through to their target.

Additionally, there is a level of vigilance, diligence, and readiness that is also required. We often steel ourselves against the ballistic missiles of sin, but pay little attention to the small drones of sin. Yet, both can do major damage. Moreover, the accumulated impact of small attacks can have a significant impact on our readiness to accomplish God’s mission. Temptation can lead to lust, which can lead to sin, which can lead to death.

We must stand against all of it!

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD PROVIDE THE SPIRITUAL AND PRACTICAL REMEDIES FOR A NATION THAT IS SCALING SIN. It is time for us to stand strong against threats of all sizes with vigilance and the whole amour of God.

NOTE: Please see the article described above here:

https://www.axios.com/2026/05/12/america-gambling-weed-deepfakes?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top

Isaiah 40:30-31 “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Psalm 27:13-14 “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

Lamentations 3:25 “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”

Mark 6:31 “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

Luke 6:12 “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

Stemming from a saying in athletics, “Taking a Knee” means to take a bit of a break while resting, waiting, and listening. A coach will call his players over to him, and tell them to take a knee. Literally, the players then kneel down to catch their breath while attentively awaiting his thoughts and directions. It isn’t wasted time, but a chance to regroup for the next surge. It gives them the opportunity to renew their strength.

God calls us all to periods of taking a knee as well.  It is as if He calls His people over to Him, and tells us to take a knee. It’s time for us to catch our breaths while we attentively await His thoughts and directions. It isn’t wasted time, but a chance to regroup for the next surge. It gives us the opportunity to renew our strength.

And like our Lord and Saviour, taking a knee must be a regular part of our spiritual cycle and a daily element of our spiritual progression.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO REST, WAIT, AND LISTEN WHEN CALLED FOR BY OUR HEAVENLY COACH. Taking a knee isn’t wasted time, but a chance to regroup for the next surge while giving us the opportunity to renew our strength.

Genesis 39:2-6 “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.”

Genesis 39:21-23 “But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

Joseph thrived because the Lord was with him. Yet, there was an intermediate step that is important to consider.

Because the Lord was with Joseph, he became imminently trustworthy. Even though his master and his prison keeper couldn’t likely put their finger on what made Joseph special, they recognized that he was different from the crowd. They also knew that they could trust him.

As a result, the master and the prison keeper gave Jospeh a massive dose of unchecked responsibility. He became a leader in his master’s land and within the confines of the prison.

His trustworthiness precipitated a promotion in his title and a magnification of his impact.

Society is looking for those things that are trustworthy, because they are rare!

Even though those around us may not be able to put their finger on what makes us special, they will recognize that we are different from the crowd. They will also know that they can trust us. And trustworthiness may precipitate a promotion in our titles and a magnification of our impacts.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO BE IMMINENTLY TRUSTWORTHY. It should be a natural manifestation of our walk with the Lord. And when this characteristic is evident in our lives, our trustworthiness may precipitate a promotion in our titles and a magnification of our impacts.